Logging-cart.



Attorneys PATENTED JAN. 2, 1906.

M. E. SPEARS. LOGGING CART. APPLICATION FILED 4211.1, 1905,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MATHEW ELI SPEARS, OF NEAME, LOUISIANA.

LOGGING-CART.

Specification of Letters Patent.

PatentedJan. 2, 1906.

Application filed April 1, 1905. Serial No. 253,360.

has for its principal object to provide an apparatus of very simple construction by which logs, stones, or other heavy loads may be raised from the ground and carried, the draft-team being utilized in raising the load to position for transportation.

A further object of the invention is to provide an apparatus of this class in which the tongue is movable with respect to the axle and hounds during the loading and unloading operations, means being provided for locking the parts together during transportation.

With these and other objects in view, as will more fully hereinafter appear, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that various changes in the form, proportions, size, and minor details of the structure may be made without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a plan View sufficient of a logging-cart to illustrate the invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional elevation of the mechanism on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1, the view being on an enlarged scale.

Similar numerals of reference are employed to indicate corresponding parts throughout the several figures of the drawmgs.

The axle 10 is of the usual construction, and to said axle are secured the rear ends-of hounds 11, which project toward the forward end of the apparatus and fit closely against the sides of the longitudinally-movable tongue 12, the two hound members being connected by horizontal plates 13, which,

together with the hounds, form a convenient guide or casing that completely encircles the tongue.

The tongue 12 may be of a length somewhat less than usual and in addition to the guide formed by the plates and hounds is further held by the walls of a slot 15, formed in the top of the axle, and an antifrictionroller 16, carried by suitable brackets 17, projecting from the axle. During loading and unloading the tongue 12 may be moved longitudinally independent of the hounds and axle, and while the load is being transported the two are locked together by means of a pivoted catch 18, carried by the tongue, and a keeper or lip 19, projecting from one of the plates 13, so that the strain exerted by the draft-team on the tongue or pole will be transmitted through the catch 18 to the hounds and axle. To this catch is connected one end. of a cord or chain 20, which passes through an eye formed in a detachable supporting-yoke 22, that straddles the catch, the ends of the yoke being supported by the plate 13 and being shown in position in Fig. 1. The opposite end of the cord or chain may be connected to an eyebolt or similar member 23, carried by the tongue or pole. The supporting-yoke 22 serves merely to provide an elevated support for that portion of the cord adjacent to the catch 18, so that when the cord is pulled the catch will be raised.

To the rear ends of the hounds are secured bearing-blocks 25 for the reception of a shaft 26, that preferably is supported by rollerbearings carried by the block. To this shaft is secured 'a power-drum 29, having a helically-grooved periphery, and near the opposite edges of the drum are secured the ends of cables or chains 30 and 31, which after being turned one or more times around the drum are carried outward to the rear and front of the pole, respectively, the front end being connected to an eyebolt 33 and the rear end to an adjustable eyebolt 34, the latter serving to take up slack. On each side of the power-drum 29 the shaft is provided with winding-drums 36, to which are secured the ends of hoisting cables or chains 38, which carry grapples 40 for engagement with a log or other load, and when the tongue is moved in one direction or the other one of the cables on the power-drum will be wound up, while the other will be unwound, and the windingdrums will be turned in a corresponding direction for the purpose of raising or lowering the load.

To the under side of the rear portion of the tongue is secured a bracket 41, having an opening for the passage of a bolt 42, carrying at its outer end a buffer-plate 43. The bolt is surrounded by a helical compression-spring 44, extending between the bufler-plate and the bracket, and when said buffer-plate engages the rear face of the axle the spring will serve as a cushioning means.

In operation the parts assume the position shown in Fig. 2 when in readiness to hoist a loadthat is to say, with the catch 18 some distance in advance of the keeper 19, while the hoisting-cables 38 are wholly or partially unwound. The draft-team is then hitched to the pole and driven in a direction of the arrow, Fig. 2that is to say, in the direction of the axleso that the rear cable 30 will act as a tension member as its rear end is moved outward or away from the power-drum and will turn said drum, thereby winding up the hoisting-cables on the drums 36 and raising the load. The movement is completed when the catch 18 rides over the keeper 19, the load being then elevated to a sufficient extent for transportation. The team is then unhitched and reversed and draws the load along in the usual direction, as indicated by the arrow in Fig. 1. After arriving at the unloading-point the team is unhitched and the cord or chain 20 is pulled in order to raise the catch 18 from engagement with the keeper 19, whereupon the weight of the load will revolve the drum 29 and the cable 30 will be wound up,.throwing the pole forward until Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is- 1. In apparatus of the class described, the combination with the axle and hounds, of a shaft supported by the hounds, power and winding drums carried by the shaft, a tongue movable relatively to the hounds during the hoisting of the load, cables connecting both ends of the tongue to the power-drum, and flexible hoisting members carried by the winding-drum.

2. In apparatus of the class described, the combination with an axle having a guidingslot, an antifriction-roller journaled in brackets above the slot, hounds secured to the axle and arranged on convergent lines, upper and lower plates connecting the ends of the hounds and forming in connection therewith a guide, a longitudinally-movable tongue extending through the guide and the slot, a catch pivoted to the tongue, a keeper carried by one of the plates and with which said catch engages, a flexible catch-operating member, an elevated, yoke for supporting said flexible member, bearing-boxes carried by the hounds, a shaft mounted in the boxes, power and winding drums carried by the shaft, cables extending from the front and rear ends of the tongue and passing around said power-drum, flexible hoisting members mounted on the winding-drums, and a springbuffer carried by the rear portion of the tongue and adapted to engage against the axle.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto afiixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

MATHEW ELI SPEARS.

Witnesses:

A. E. ROWLAND, R. E. WATSON. 

